Clamp for leather-stretching machines.



Patented Aug. 20, I90l. R. L. BRAUCHT.

CLAMP FOB LEATHER STRETGHING MACHINES.

(Application filed June 15, 1900.)

(No Model.)

HOV L. BRAU HT WlT/vEssEs lUNiTnn Smarts Pnrnniir rrrcn- ROY L. BRAUOHT,OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA; KATIE D. BRAUOHT, AS GUARDIAN OF SAID ROY L.BRAUOIIT, MINOR, ASSIGNOR TO THE \V. S.

NOTT COMPANY.

CLAMP FOR LEATHER STRETCHING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 680,757, dated August20, 1901.

Application filed June 15, 1900. Serial No. 20,390. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROY L. BRAUCHT, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county,Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Im- 5 provements inClamps for Leather-Stretching Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to clamps forleatherstretching machines, andespecially to that class of machines that are ordinarily employed in themanufacture of belting.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a clamp that can bequickly applied to the leather Without tearing or otherwise I injuringthe same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp that can bereadily applied to an irregular edge of the leather.

Other objects of the invention will appear from thefollowingspeeification in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side elevation of aclamp embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section onthe line a; 00 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section of the head andcam.

It is customary in the manufacture of belting and for some otherpurposes to employ a mechanism for stretching the leather, and

prior to myinvention the ends of the leather to be stretched wereconnected to the stretching mechanism by means of pins passing throughthe leather near its ends or edges. This method of securing the edges ofthe leather was found to be inconvenient and at the same time causedconsiderable waste of the leather. In carrying out my invention,therefore, I provide a clamping device that can be set at any angle withrespect to the 0 stretching-machine and can be easily and quicklyattached to or disconnected from the leather and with the use of whichthere is no danger of tearing or otherwise injuring the leather.

5 In the drawings, 2 represents the head of the clamp, provided with afixed jaw 2, having preferably transverse grooves or ribs in its face,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to prevent the leather from slipping in theclamp. I

provide brackets 3 on said head, which overhang the fixed jaw, andbetween said brackets a block 4, forming a rotary movable jaw,

is eccentrically pivoted on a pin 5. The blockt has a broad j aw-faceprovided, preferably, with corrugations 6, which engage the uppersurface of the leather and clamp it firmly upon the fixed jaw. Ahole orsocket 7 is provided in the block a to receive a pin 8, by means ofwhich the movable jaw may be operated. The block being eccentricallymounted and operatingin the direction of the pull or strain on theleather when it is turned down to the position shown in Fig. 1, anydrawing or stretching of the leather will only serve to clamp the edgeof' the same more firmly between the cam-block or movable jaw and thefixed jaw. A coil-spring 8 011 the pin 5 tends to hold the movable jawin a raised position.

The head 2 is pivoted, preferably, upon a bar 9, that is adapted to beadjustably connected to the leather-stretching machine. Any suitablemeans may be employed for connecting the bar to the machine. I have hereshown a movable bed piece or plate 10, having a transverse rib 11,provided with a series of openings 12 to receive the bar 9, which ispreferably provided with ratchet-teeth 13, adapted to engage a bevelededge of any one of the openings 12 and be locked therein by thewedge-block 14. The bar and clamp may thus be adjusted in any desiredposition with respect to the leatherstretching machine. Any suitablemeans may be provided for pivotally connecting the head to the bar. Iprefer, however, to provide a socket 15 in the head to receive a stud 16on said bar, said stud being provided with an annular groove 17 toreceive a lockingpin 18. By removing said pin the head may be readilydetached from the bar by simply lifting it off the stud.

The rear edge of the head 2 is preferably curved and provided with aseries of notches 19, adapted to be engaged by a latch 20, piv- 9 5'oted on the studs 21, provided on the bar 9.

A spring 22 normally holds said latch projected into one of saidnotches. The latch device prevents the head from turning on its pivotwhen the device is in use, but permits said head to be adjusted at anydesired angle with respect to the bar 9.

In operation a number of these clamps will ordinarily be used, arrangedside by side and adjusted to clamp the edge of the leather.

spring heretofore referredto,so that the operator can readily insert theedgeof the leather into the clamp. Upon moving the-jaw-or camblock intoengagement with the leather the' spring will 'be put under tension andthe roughened or corrugated face ofthe jaw engaging the leather willcause thejawto turn on its pivot and wedge the edges of the leather inthe clamp. Any increase'in the strain or pull on the-leather will onlyserve to increase the grip of the clamp on the edges of the same.-

In various ways the construction that I have shown and described maybemodified by any one-skilled in the art, and I therefore do not Wishtobe confined to thedetails herein set forth;

Having thus described my invention; I

claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters" Patent 1.A'leather-holder, comprising a laterally adjustable head havingaportionof its upper surface corrugated or suitablyroughened to adapt itto constitute a gripping-jaw, a camblock eccentrically mounted thereonand having its face correspondingly corrugated or roughened to adapt itto cooperate with said jaw in gripping and holding leather undertension, means for operating said block, a spring for holding the blocknormally out of engaging position, and means for pivotally connectingsaid head to a stretching-machine, substantially as set forth.

. 2. A leather-holder, comprising a head or plate having a face adaptedto constitute a gripping jaw and provided with brackets which overhangsuch jaw, a cam-block eccentrically pivoted between said brackets andhaving its face corrugated or roughened to adapt it to cooperate withsaid fixed jaw in gripping and holding leather under tension, means foroperating said block, and a coupling-bar to which said head isconnected, substantially as set forth.

3. A leather-holder, comprising a head or plate having a face adapted toconstitute a gripping -jaw and provided with brackets which overhangsuch jaw,-a cam-block eccentrically pivoted betweensaid brackets andhaving its face corrugated or roughened to adapt it to cooperate withsaid fixed jaw in gripping and holding leather under tension, means foroperating said block, a spring for holding the block normally outOfengaging position, anda coupling-bar to which said head isconnected,'substan tially as set forth.

4. In a leather-'stretchin g machine, the combination'with'a bed-piecehaving a transverse rib provided with an opening, one of the side wallsof which is beveled, of a coupling-bar provided with ratchet-teethadapted to engage su'ch wall,a Wedge-block for locking the same inengagement, anda leather=holder connected to said coupling-bar,substantially as set forth;

r, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6thda'y of June,1900.

ROY L. BRAUCHT.

Iupresence of RICHARD PAUL,

C. NOONAN;

